Last season Kell produced the rare feat of winning the boys and girls state championship in the same season. This season the most likely candidate may be Maynard Jackson, where the girls return a loaded team that reached the semifinals in 2022-23 and where the boys may prove to be the biggest impediment to Kell repeating.
Entering play in Monday night, both teams were undefeated – the boys were 8-0 and the girls were 6-0.
The Maynard Jackson girls went 26-2 last year and lost to Kell in the semifinal round in Carrollton. Coach Michelle Powell returns the top 10 players on last year’s roster.
The Jaguars are led by the Cornish sisters – Taliah and Cayden. Taliah Cornish, a senior, averaged 20.6 points, 3.8 assists and 3.1 steals and Cayden Cornish, now a sophomore, averaged 10.7 points as a freshman. Taliah is averaging 15.4 points and 3.3 assists this season.
Shakira Gresham averaged 13.9 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 4.8 steals last season as a junior. Aaliyah Weaver averaged 6.1 point, Maya Whithead (5.8 points), British McKinney (5.3 points, 5.9 rebounds) and Kennedy Williams (4.0 points as a freshman) are all back.
Sandy’s Spiel ranks Taliah Cornish, Gresham and McKinney among the top 15 in the state at their position.
The boys are led by Mekhi Turner, a 6-foot-8 power forward.Turner has committed to play at Kennesaw State and is the No. 2-ranked power forward in the state according to Sandy’s Spiel. He averaged 14.9 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.5 blocks last year.
Other top returning players are junior guard Yusef Bower, who led the team with 16.6 points last season, and Cassius Watkins, who averaged 14.2 points and 4.9 rebounds. Cameron Dover, a 6-7 shooting forward, sophomore Donaven Thomas and junior Max Young are other standouts.
A couple other teams to watch as two-way threats to win it all are Bradwell Institute and Jones County.
The Bradwell boys and girls are both off to 9-0 starts. The boys, who went 16-9 last season, have flourished behind the senior duo of Tahshaun Frasier (14 points, 5.6 rebound) and Elyjah Thurmon (12.1 points 10 rebounds). The girls went 23-5 and reached the state quarterfinals before losing to Kell. Preseason all-state pick Parris Parham (19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.4 steals) and sophomore Ja’Nya Bush (15 points, 5.5 steals) lead the attack.
Jones County saw its young boys team ride a hot streak to the state semifinals before losing to Eagle’s Landing. The Greyhounds are off to a 12-2 start and have already beaten Warner Robins and Eagle’s Landing within Region 2. Seniors Jaden Stanley (16.8 points, 4.7 rebounds), Kaden Douglas (14.2 points) and Jaleel Jordan (14.8 points) pace the offense. The Jones County girls finished 20-10 lasts season and are currently 11-3, including a loss to 2023 runner-up Warner Robins.
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